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Imihlatshelo Ephilayo
1 Ngakho-ke, ngiyalincenga bazalwane, ngenxa yomusa kaNkulunkulu, ukuba linikele imizimba yenu njengemihlatshelo ephilayo, engcwele lemthokozisayo uNkulunkulu, okuyikukhonza kwenu ngomoya. 2 Lingavumi futhi ukulingisa umhlaba lo, kodwa liguqulwe ingqondo zenu zibe zintsha. Lapho-ke lizakwenelisa ukuhlola lokwamukela lokho okuyintando kaNkulunkulu, intando yakhe elungileyo, ethokozisayo lepheleleyo.
Inkonzo Yokuzehlisa Emzimbeni KaKhristu
3 Ngoba ngomusa engiwuphiweyo ngithi kini lonke: Lingacabangi ngokuzazisa kakhulu ukwedlula okufaneleyo, kodwa lizicabangele ngokuqonda, ngokuhambelana lesilinganiso sokukholwa uNkulunkulu aliphe khona. 4 Njengalokhu omunye lomunye wethu elomzimba owodwa olezitho ezinengi, njalo izitho lezi zonke kazenzi msebenzi munye, 5 Ngokunjalo kuKhristu thina abanengi sibumba umzimba owodwa, njalo ilunga linye ngalinye ngelawamanye wonke. 6 Silezipho ezehlukeneyo, kusiya ngomusa esawuphiwayo. Nxa isipho somuntu siyikuphrofitha, kasisebenzise ngokulingana lokukholwa kwakhe. 7 Nxa siyikukhonza, kakhonze: nxa siyikufundisa, kafundise; 8 nxa singesokukhuthaza, kakhuthaze; nxa siyikupha, kasiphe ngothando; nxa siyibukhokheli, kabuse ngokukhuthala; nxa siyikubonakalisa umusa, kakwenze ngokuthokoza.
Uthando
9 Uthando kumele lube qotho. Zondani okubi libambelele kokulungileyo. 10 Zimiseleni omunye komunye ngothando lobuzalwane. Hloniphanani okudlula ukuzihlonipha kwenu. 11 Lingaphelelwa yikutshiseka, kodwa gcinani ukutshiseka kwenu komoya, likhonza iNkosi. 12 Thokozani ekwethembeni, libekezele ekuhlukuluzweni, libambelele ekukhulekeni. 13 Bapheni abantu bakaNkulunkulu abaswelayo. Zejwayezeni ukuphana.
14 Babusiseni labo abalihluphayo; busisani lingaqalekisi. 15 Thokozani lalabo abathokozayo, lilile lalabo abalilayo. 16 Hlalisanani ngokuzwana. Lingazigqaji, kodwa lihlanganyele labantukazana. Lingazikhukhumezi.
17 Lingaphindiseli muntu okubi ngokubi. Nanzelelani ukwenza okulungileyo phambi kwabantu bonke. 18 Nxa kusenzakala, kusiya mayelana lokubona kwenu, hlalani ngokuthula labantu bonke. 19 Lingaphindiseli, bangane bami abathandekayo, kodwa litshiyele ulaka lukaNkulunkulu ithuba, ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Ukuphindisela ngokwami; ngizabuyisela,”* kutsho iNkosi. 20 Esikhundleni salokho:
“Nxa isitha sakho silambile, siphe ukudla;
nxa somile, sinikeni okunathwayo.
Ngokwenza lokhu, lokhela amalahle avuthayo ekhanda laso.”†
21 Linganqotshwa ngokubi, kodwa nqobani ububi ngobuhle.
* 12:19 UDutheronomi 32.35 † 12:20 Izaga 25.21-22